The stadium was constructed to co-host the 2012 African Cup of Nations. IPC was hired to masterplan the stadium. Our masterplan design was based on the availability of mature native Elaeis guineensis palms slated for removal at a regional palm oil plantation. Traditionally, oil palm trees removed for crop renewal are burned, causing issues with air quality. As a part of the masterplan scope IPC negotiated the removal of 5,000 trees at no expense to the plantation to be reintegrated into permanent locations surrounding Stade de l’Amitie.

Logistics were complicated by the delayed completion of stadium construction; we were still planting palms during the off-days of the preliminary matches.

The Stade project proved IPC objective of repurposing palm oil plantation trees and grew into a larger city planning / urban landscape design concept to integrate palms throughout Libreville in an effort to integrate more greenspace into urban areas.